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Faith leaders pray for world peace in Japan

Religious leaders have met in Japan to pray for peace in the world and as a response to Pope Francis asking them to foster dialogue, friendship and peace.

Representatives of Buddhism, Shintoism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism came together in Japan at an inter-faith 'Interreligious Gathering of Prayer for World Peace' held from August 3 - 4.

This gathering has been held every year to commemorate a 'Religious Summit' held on Mount Hiei in 1987.

About 2,000 people, including 24 delegates from 18 countries, attended the event to mark the 30th anniversary of the first summit. This year's gathering was held in the temple city of Kyoto and at Mount Hiei, the most significant holy place for the Japanese Buddhist denomination Tendai.

Pope Francis sent a letter to Koei Morikawa, the present supreme priest of Tendai, to be read at the annual Interreligious Gathering of Prayer for World Peace. In his letter to this year's event in Japan, Pope Francis asked participants to work and pray to foster dialogue, friendship and peace.